Patents Examined by M. N. Von Buhr
  • Patent number: 8474058
    Abstract: A method and a system for managing a data object so as to comply with predetermined conditions for usage of the data object. To control the usage of the data object, a set of control data, defining uses of the data object, which comply with the predetermined conditions, is created for the data object. The data object is concatenated with the user set of control data, encrypted and transferred to the user. When the user wants to use the data object, a special user program checks whether the usage complies with the control data. If so, the usage is enabled. Otherwise it is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Benson, Gregory H. Urich, Christopher L. Knauft
  • Patent number: 8467888
    Abstract: Embodiments provide techniques, computer-readable media, and devices for allowing users to perform interactive design of controllers, such as PID controllers, in a free-form modeling environment. Users can tune controllers using characteristics familiar to typical users rather than having to specify gain values for the controller, which may be difficult for a user to relate to the performance of a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
    Inventors: Pascal Gahinet, Rong Chen, Bora Eryilmaz
  • Patent number: 8463441
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a refrigeration system having an operating point, comprising: a memory configured to store a relationship of at least an evaporator efficiency, an evaporator heat load, a refrigerant amount in the evaporator, and a variable dependent on a non-volatile liquid mixed with refrigerant in the evaporator an input port configured to receive a signal corresponding to at least a measured evaporator heat load during operation; an output port configured to present an output to selectively alter an operating point of the evaporator, by altering the refrigerant amount in the evaporator and thereby changing the variable; and a processor, configured to receive the signal, access the memory; and generate the output to selectively move toward an optimum operating point. A corresponding method and refrigeration system are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hudson Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Zugibe, Riyaz Papar
  • Patent number: 8401710
    Abstract: A real-time performance monitoring system for monitoring an electric power grid. The electric power grid has a plurality of grid portions, each grid portion corresponding to one of a plurality of control areas. The real-time performance monitoring system includes a monitor computer for monitoring at least one of reliability metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics, and markets metrics for the electric power grid. The data for metrics being monitored by the monitor computer are stored in a data base, and a visualization of the metrics is displayed on at least one display computer having a monitor. The at least one display computer in one said control area enables an operator to monitor the grid portion corresponding to a different said control area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Electric Power Group, LLC
    Inventors: Vikram S. Budhraja, James D. Dyer, Carlos A. Martinez Morales
  • Patent number: 8401705
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for water conservation with irrigation controllers based upon the ambient temperature and extraterrestrial radiation of a particular geographical area. It receives a preliminary irrigation schedule from the operator and computes a water budget ratio by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, then modifying the preliminary irrigation schedule based upon that ratio. The present invention utilizes fewer variables, is less complex, and is much easier to install and maintain than the current evapotranspiration-based controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: George Alexanian
  • Patent number: 8352081
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In an embodiment, the network includes a demand unit and a subnet controller. The demand unit is coupled to a data bus and configured to provide a primary service having a maximum service capacity. The subnet controller is configured to send a demand message to the demand unit via the data bus instructing the demand unit to provide a portion of the maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Wojciech Grohman
  • Patent number: 8301313
    Abstract: A wind park system is disclosed. Briefly described, one embodiment comprises at least one wind power installation having a generator for the delivery of electrical power to an electrical network, characterized in that the power delivered to the network by the wind park is regulated or adjusted in dependence on the network frequency of the electrical network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Inventor: Aloys Wobben
  • Patent number: 8295981
    Abstract: The disclosure provides various systems and methods for conveying information between a communicating first device and a second coupled device of a HVAC network. In various embodiments, a checking of a subnet of the HVAC network for both communicating device and a non-communicating device by the communicating first device occurs. It is determined whether the second coupled device in a non-communicating device. An installer is allowed to set parameters of the non-communicating device through employment of a manifest list of features used by the non-communicating device that is accessible by the communicating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Darko Hadzidedic
  • Patent number: 8271139
    Abstract: An accurate blending system for blending a feed liquid and first and second adjusting liquids includes a first feed means adapted to communicate with a supply of feed liquid, a second feed means adapted to communicate with a supply of the first adjusting liquid and a third feed means adapted to communicate with a supply of the second adjusting liquid. The first, second and third feed means may be pumps, valves or combinations thereof. A mixing device is in communication with the first, second and third feed means. First and second sensors are in communication with the mixing device. A controller communicates with the first and second sensors so that first and second characteristics of the solution in the mixing device can be detected. The controller also communicates with the first and second feed means so that delivery of first and second adjusting liquid to the mixing device can be controlled based upon the detected first and second characteristics of the solution in the mixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Bioprocess, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Bellafiore, James Sanderson
  • Patent number: 8265781
    Abstract: A device for manipulating containers, comprising a manipulation unit manipulating the containers in a predetermined manner, this manipulation unit including at least one condition detection unit which detects at least one operating condition of the manipulation unit and sends out condition signals which are characteristic for this operating condition of the manipulation unit, and including a monitoring unit for monitoring the manipulation unit, the monitoring unit including a visual display device for displaying information as well as a storage device in which presentation data for components of the manipulation unit is deposited. According to the invention, the monitoring unit includes an image manipulation unit which as a response to emitted condition signals provides image sequences on the basis of presentation data stored on the storage device, which image sequences may be output via the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Stefan Ramsauer, Peter van den Tol
  • Patent number: 8255086
    Abstract: The disclosure provides various embodiments of systems and methods of generating a heartbeat in an HVAC system and networks. In an embodiment, a method includes a heartbeat message being sent by a first subnet controller upon the first subnet controller taking active control of a subnet of the HVAC network. The active heartbeat message timer is reset. Another heartbeat message is sent if a specified amount of time has elapsed since a previous heartbeat message was sent by said heartbeat generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Wojciech Grohman
  • Patent number: 8249751
    Abstract: Control units for three indoor units of air conditioners installed in a same indoor space are connected by a communication line. Each of the control units can grasp the detection information of the human detection sensor, preset temperature information of the remote controller, inlet temperature information of the inlet temperature sensor of all of the other air conditioners in the same space. On the basis of the above-mentioned information, each of the control units calculates an air-conditioning load of each of the air-conditioning target spaces and the air-conditioning load of an entire air-conditioning space on the basis of these air-conditioning target spaces in the same manner. A compressor is driven and controlled on the basis of a calculation result thereof to perform a power-saving operation of the entire air-conditioning space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Takagi, Masanobu Baba, Norikazu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8239071
    Abstract: Method for controlling at least one adjustment mechanism of a wind turbine, said method comprising the steps of: establishing at least one load or operational value of the wind turbine, choosing a combination of at least two control strategies from a set of different control strategies based on the established at least one load or operational value, and applying the chosen combination of control strategies to control said at least one adjustment mechanism. The invention also relates to a wind turbine and a wind park.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Hans Henrik Lausen
  • Patent number: 8224488
    Abstract: A system and method for managing the temperature of a data center is disclosed in which a target computer system is identified. The target computer system is the system that requires access or service. The operation of the computer systems in the vicinity of the target computer system is modified to reduce the temperature in the vicinity of the target computer system or along the pathway between the entrance to the data center and the target computer system. After the target computer system is accessed or serviced, the computer systems in the vicinity of the target computer system or along the pathway between the entrance to the data center and the target computer system can be returned to their original state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Mark Collins, John C. Pflueger, III
  • Patent number: 8219217
    Abstract: An electrical control system is disclosed for controlling a plurality of variable transmittance windows. The electrical control system of the present invention comprises a master control circuit for supplying control signals representing transmittance levels for the variable transmission windows, and a plurality of window control circuits coupled to each of the master control circuits. Because the window control circuits can sense abnormal load conditions in the variable transmission windows, the system further includes an interface to a security system to inform of a potential intrusion. Each window control circuit controls the transmittance of at least one of the variable transmission windows in response to control signals received from the master control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Jon H. Bechtel, David L. Poll
  • Patent number: 8180465
    Abstract: A system that facilitates managing resources (e.g., functionality, services) based at least in part upon an established context. More particularly, a context determination component can be employed to establish a context by processing sensor inputs or learning/inferring a user action/preference. Once the context is established via context determination component, a power/mode management component can be employed to activate and/or mask resources in accordance with the established context. The power and mode management of the device can extend life of a power source (e.g., battery) and mask functionality in accordance with a user and/or device state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Sinclair, David W. Williams, Zhengyou Zhang, Zicheng Liu
  • Patent number: 8170693
    Abstract: The present system teaches an autostop system for a stage control system in which some of all of the device implemented effects associated with a production may be automatically stopped when certain conditions exist. The conditions causing the effects to stop may be configurable by the show creator to prevent injury to the persons involved with the production and damage to the scenery and equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Production Resource Group, LLC
    Inventor: Rusty Mahew
  • Patent number: 8160736
    Abstract: Efficient manufacturing automation system and methods are described. The automation system controls movement of materials for processing by tools in a manufacturing facility. The system and methods include pre-emptive dispatching for transferring of materials. With the pre-emptive dispatching, the next destination and next lot to be processed is determined prior to a first lot being converted to a ready to unload state. This reduces wait time or idle time to improve tool utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Thangappan Krisnamuthi, Mohd Azizi Chik, Tin Tin Ung, Kian Wee Lim, Stephen Todd Markle
  • Patent number: 8140196
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling temperature of a computer system is disclosed. The computer system contains multiple modules and at least one cooling fan. The method contains the steps of collecting thermal data from a first set of modules, calculating an initial fan speed, collecting thermal data from a second set of modules, and recalculating the fan speed to adjust cooling of modules to desired operating temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James A. Rozzi, Peter Hansen
  • Patent number: RE43571
    Abstract: A technique for synchronizing databases in which different techniques are used for storing a recurring event. A database in which the recurring event is, for example, stored as a single recurring record can be synchronized with a database in which the same recurring event is stored as a series of individual records. The individual records are processed to form a synthetic recurring record representing the set of individual records, and synchronization decisions are based on a comparison of the synthetic record to the recurring record of the other database. Following synchronization, the synthetic record can be “fanned” back into the individual records to update the database containing individual records, and the updated recurring record can be written back to the other database. In this way, the invention avoids the problems encountered with prior methods, in which synchronization resulted in a recurring record being transformed into a series of individual records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Intellisync Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Boothby